Getting Power Smart

Ever
plug your iPad into a PC’s USB port or a generic AC adapter only to find out
hours later that not only isn’t it fully charged but has actually lost ground
and the battery is nearly dead? The fact of the matter is that many computers
and off-the-shelf USB power adapters don’t put out enough current to satisfy
the pad’s thirst for electricity, leaving few alternatives other than using the
AC adapter that came with the system.

Kensington’s
Absolute Power 2.1 with PowerWhiz is the first universal USB charger that can
work with just about any phone or tablet on the market. In fact, it is smart
enough to recognize the device’s power specs needed and deliver it.

The
adapter comes in black only, but like the first-generation iPad power adapter,
it has a fold-out two-prong plug and a USB port on the side for powering a
device; you’ll need to supply your own USB cable, though. The Kensington power
cube measures 1.5-inches on a side, small enough to slip into a pocket or
pocket in a bag, but larger than Apple’s OEM power adapter. That’s balanced by
the adapter’s 1.7-ounce weight, which is slightly lighter than Apple’s iPad
power-pack.

Kensington’s
PowerWhiz technology is the key to its success with such a wide variety of
hardware. The key is that the adapter has a sophisticated circuit inside that
interrogates the device’s power needs and then supplies exactly what the device
needs, up to a 5-volt stream at 2.1 amps, matching the maximum output of the
Apple adapter. By contrast, typical generic adapters put out a peak of only 1
amp and the major reason why they fall short of being able to charge an iPad
and other devices.

Over
the course of several weeks, the AbsolutePower adapter was never far from my
iPad, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Lenovo S2110 or LG Nitro LG phone. It worked like a
charm with each and stayed cool, even while charging a tablet’s battery. It’s
not perfect because I wish it could charge two devices – say, a tablet and
phone – at once. Kensington also has a 4.2 Amp AC wall adapter with two ports
that can charge a pair of devices at once, but it lacks the PowerWhiz
technology.

The
power adapter comes with a 1-year warrant and costs $25. Unfortunately, it
isn’t available at the moment, but you can preorder one that should get to you
within a few weeks.